Woman held in two foiled kidnap efforts

Lisa Arnold of Glendale is suspected of trying to abduct an infant and a toddler 20 minutes apart.

Glendale police have arrested a woman suspected in the attempted kidnappings of two children on Wednesday.

Lisa Arnold, 52, of Glendale was arrested about 2:30 a.m. Friday, the Police Department said in a statement.

Detectives “have been working through the night conducting interviews and search warrants,” and the investigation remains “very active,” according to the statement. A motive has not been determined, but police said they are not seeking other suspects.

Police declined to release Arnold’s booking photo Friday morning, citing the ongoing investigation.

In both of the foiled kidnappings, which happened within a 20-minute period, a person approached the children and said words to the effect of, “You’re so cute,” Glendale police Sgt. Robert William said.

The first attempt took place just after 5 p.m. near Chevy Chase Drive and Adams Street. A woman grabbed a 14-month-old child from a stroller pushed by the child’s mother, but the mother fought back and recovered the child before the assailant fled, William said.

Police said the assailant appeared to be a Latina with short, thick hair, wearing heavy winter clothing.

She entered a silver sedan and drove away, they said.

Police on Thursday night released video images of the kidnapping attempt. The grainy images show someone walking up to a woman pushing a stroller near a busy intersection and bending down. The woman pushing the stroller then starts pulling it away, struggling for a few seconds before the other person runs off.

About 20 minutes after the first kidnapping attempt, and less than a mile away, a person got out of a four-door silver sedan at John Marshall Elementary School and tried to kidnap a 2-year-old boy, police said.

“Any person that’s willing to stop a car … and approach a child is very dangerous,” William said.

The toddler’s 8-year-old brother witnessed the incident and called 911. The mother was standing nearby and was able to stop the kidnapping, prompting the assailant to drive away, authorities said.

Police said the 8-year-old boy described the assailant as a man dressed like a woman, and that the child’s mother described the person as a man in his late 40s or 50s with salt-and-pepper hair and a scruffy beard.

A robocall went out to parents in the Glendale Unified School District, and Supt. Winfred Roberson issued a message to parents and families late Wednesday saying school administrators would be extra cautious.

“We will have increased adult presence at drop-off and pick-up locations,” Roberson said.